Congressional Research ServiceEnvironment and Natural Resources Policy Division

     New info and changes since 10/10/97 are bracketed {...}.
     New info and changes since 10/16/97 are double bracketed {{...}}

Marine Fisheries
     .
     IFQ Meetings.  The National Research Council's Committee to Review Individual Fishing Quotas is scheduled to hold public meetings in Seattle, WA, to take public comment on its review of IFQs on Nov. 12-13, 1997. [personal communication, Assoc Press]
     .
     {New ADB Fisheries Policy.  On Oct. 16, 1997, the Asian Development Bank (ADB, Manila) announced a new fisheries policy, moving from an emphasis since 1979 on increasing production to a new focus on "equity, efficiency, and sustainability."  The new policy seek to encourage greater private sector involvement in fishery production and processing while aiming to foster regional cooperation in developing policies for long-term sustainable fishery management.} [Dow Jones News, Assoc Press]
     .
     Native Title Fishing Rights.  On Oct. 16-17, 1997, five Indonesian (Sama Bajau) "sea gypsies" from the island of Roti near Timor, who was detained for illegally fishing in Australian waters earlier in 1997, argued a unique test case in Australian court that he has an ancestral right to fish in Australian waters.  The individual claims that his ancestors fished in Australian waters for many centuries preceding European settlement, and thus he retains the right to continue this traditional fishery.  {{The court is expected to rule on this case in mid-November 1997.}} [Reuters]
     .
     {U.S.-Canada Tuna Vessel Port Privileges.  On Oct. 15, 1997, U.S. and Canadian officials announced that amendments had been accepted to a 1981 bilateral agreement to increase the number of ports that could be used by the other nation's tuna vessels.  U.S. tuna vessels may now use Vancouver, BC, in addition to previously agreed upon Canadian ports while Canadian tuna vessels may now use Eureka, CA, Newport, OR, and Westport, WA, in addition to previously agreed upon U.S. ports.} [Assoc Press]
     .
     {Coral Anchoring Ban.  On Oct. 14, 1997, NOAA and the state of FL jointly announced an emergency rule prohibiting freighters from anchoring on a coral reef west of the Dry Tortugas where widespread coral damage has occurred on a newly discovered reef within the FL Keys National Marine Sanctuary.} [Assoc Press]
     .
     {Atlantic HMS Scoping Meetings.  On Oct. 10, 1997, NMFS announced a series of 21 scoping meetings along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts to take public comment on management of Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS -- tunas, swordfish, sharks, and billfish) to be held between Oct. 27, 1997, and Nov. 17, 1997.} [Fed. Register]
     .
     Coral Reef Conference.  On Oct. 9-11, 1997, the World Bank in cooperation with the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, the International Coral Reef Initiative, the Smithsonian Institution, the World Conservation Union, and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority will hold a conference on coral reefs at the World Bank Main Complex in Washington, DC. [http://www-esd.worldbank.org/coralreef97/]
     .
     Mediterranean Fisheries.  On Oct. 9, 1997, a coalition of 41 environmental groups announced that it would urge the General Fisheries Council of the Mediterranean, meeting Oct. 13, 1997, in Rome, Italy, to adopt new mechanisms to enforce its formerly non-binding recommendations to member nations for better managing Mediterranean fisheries.  Concerns include overfishing, destructive fishing methods, and overcapitalized fishing fleets. [Reuters]
     .
     El Nino.  On Oct. 8, 1997, Peruvian officials announced that a ban on anchovy fishing, in effect since March 1997 due to El Nino conditions, would be terminated on Oct. 15, 1997, due to increased anchovy abundance.  The U.S. Global Change Research Program has scheduled a seminar on the 1997-1998 El Nino forecast on Oct. 20, 1997, in the Rayburn House Office Bldg., in Washington, DC. [Dow Jones News, USGCRP Seminar announcement]
     .
     {{Illegal Aliens.  In early October 1997, the Immigration and Naturalization Service completed "Operation Cheechako," a two-week investigation of the southwest Alaska fishing industry.  During this operation, INS agents identified 80 individuals accused of being illegal aliens upon boarding and inspecting more than 60 fishing vessels, including floating processors.  Most of the alleged illegal workers were processing workers.}} [Assoc Press]
     .
     Social Aspects of Fishing.  On Oct. 3-4, 1997, Europeche, the Association of National Organizations of Fisheries Companies in the European Union, was scheduled to meet in Cadiz, Spain, to discuss the social aspects of commercial fisheries, including working hours, environmental issues, relations with non-EU countries in fisheries, and professional consultation. [Agence Europe via Reuters]
     .
     Status of Fisheries Report.  On Oct. 3, 1997, NMFS announced the release of a report to Congress entitled "Status of Fisheries of the United States" identifying 86 species as overfished, 10 species as approaching an overfished condition, 183 species as not overfished, and 448 species of unknown status.  Regional Fishery Management Council are required to develop programs to end overfishing and rebuild overfished stocks.  This report states that these numbers probably understate the number of fisheries that will eventually be determined to be overfished. [NOAA press release, Assoc Press, Dow Jones News]
     .
     Coral Reef Damage Compensation.  On Oct. 3, 1997, NOAA officials announced that the Rama Shipping Company of Thailand agreed on Sept. 11, 1997, to pay $1,250,000 for repairs to damaged coral reefs near Mona Island, Puerto Rico, after its freighter Fortuna Reefer ran aground on July 24, 1997. [Assoc Press, NOAA press release]
     .
     Health Insurance for Fishermen.  On Oct. 2, 1997, the Associated Press reported that Caritas Christi, a health care organization affiliated with the Archdiocese of Boston, was awarded a $1.9 million federal grant to finance a program to assist {New England} commercial fishermen in obtaining health insurance.  The grant funds were provided as part of a federal effort to assist New England fisheries.  Federal funds will supplement state funding for this program.  Enrollment in the program begins Oct. 20, 1997, {for MA fishermen, with fishermen from other states scheduled to be enrolled in June 1998.} [Assoc Press, personal communication]
     .
     Shrimp Virus Study.  In early October 1997, the Coastal Fisheries Division of the TX Parks and Wildlife Dept. was scheduled to begin testing for diseased shrimp in TX bays in an effort to determine if introduced exotic viral diseases are adversely affecting native shrimp. [Assoc Press]
     .
     Geoduck Discovery.  In early October 1997, the Associated Press reported the discovery of an estimated 12 million pound bed of geoducks off Sitka, AK.  The exploration leading to this discovery was funded by federal dollars distributed to aid southeast AK communities that had been dependent upon the timber industry. [Assoc Press]
     .
     Fishermen's Oil Spill Response Team.  On Sept. 29, 1997, the first of 16 commercial fishing vessels were deployed by CA's Fishermen's Oil Spill Response Team (F.O.R.T.) to assist in the containment and cleanup of oil spilled at Santa Barbara platform Irene.  Vessels began returning from the completed activity on Oct. 2, 1997. [CA Seafood Council press release via Dow Jones News]
     .
     TX Red Tide.  On Sept. 29, 1997, the TX Dept. of Health banned clam, oyster, and mussel harvesting along the lower TX coast (from Port Aransas south to South Padre Island, excluding Galveston Bay) in response to red tide conditions.  About 2.5 million fish were reported to have been killed near San Jose Island by these conditions in late September 1997.  {On Oct. 15, 1997, thousands of mullet and menhaden as well as some redfish and seatrout killed by red tide washed ashore from Padre Island National Seashore south to Port Isabel.  An estimated 14 million fish have been killed since the red tide event began in late September 1997.} [Assoc Press]
     .
     Surimi Processing Plant Collapse.  On Sept. 28, 1997, the cold storage portion of the Crystal Ocean Seafood Inc. plant in Astoria, OR, collapsed into the Columbia River.  The cold storage area, on pilings over the river, was reportedly packed full with frozen fish product, and may have overloaded the structure. [Assoc Press]
     .
     New England Fisheries.  On Sept. 28, 1997, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Tahoma boarded and seized the catch of a New Bedford fishing vessel, alleged to be fishing within a closed area about 114 miles east of Cape Cod. The vessel's catch of scallops and monkfish will be sold, with the proceeds held in escrow until the case is decided. [Assoc Press]
     .
     NJ Horseshoe Crab Case.  On Sept. 25, 1997, the NJ Marine Fisheries Council voted 5-3 against the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection's proposal to prohibit trawlers from fishing for horseshoe crab and to limit hand harvesting.  A compromise plan that would have only have banned trawling and dredging but not limited hand harvesting was also rejected.  Trawlers will be able to resume fishing on Sept. 28, 1997, after the temporary harvest ban expires.  In late September 1997, the NJ Audubon Society filed an appeal, charging that the Marine Fisheries Council did not have authority to set aside the Governor's action and that a fishing industry employee sitting on the Council should not have voted.  On Oct. 8, 1997, Appellate Division Judge Philip Carchman issued a temporary stay on horseshoe crab trawling until Oct. 15, 1997, to allow the Court time to review the issues and possible threat to crab populations. [Assoc Press]
     .
     Mexican Maritime Boundary Hearing.  On Sept. 25, 1997, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing on the Maritime Boundary Treaty with Mexico. [personal communication]
     .
     Korean Vessel Penalized.  In late September 1997, the Korean fishing vessel, Shin Chang 502, was fined $100,000 and its catch worth more than $18,000 was forfeited for fishing five times illegally within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone near Palmyra and Jarvis Islands earlier in 1997. [Assoc Press]
     .
     Lobster-Herring Conflict?  In late September 1997, ME lobstermen complained that herring trawlers were entering state inshore waters illegally to net herring and had damaged thousands of dollars worth of lobster gear in the process.  The ME Marine Patrol planned to coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard to increase surveillance. [Assoc Press]
     .
     South Pacific Tuna.  In late September 1997, the South Pacific's Forum Fisheries Agency held discussions with the U.S. Tuna Foundation, and requested that the U.S. tuna fleet increase the proportion of Pacific Islander crewmembers on U.S. vessels from its current 15% to 50% over a five year period.  Discussions also included use of shore facilities by the U.S. tuna fleet and investment in island tuna processing. [Assoc Press]
     .
     AK CDQ Recommendations.  In late September 1997, the State of Alaska announced recommendations to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce on revising the Community Development Quota (CDQ) program for Bering Sea villages.  The Governor's Office announced recommendations to expand the program to include CDQs for Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, yellowfin sole, king crab, and other species.  Communities would receive 7.5% of the total allocation of flatfish species.  For crab, the CDQ allocation would begin at 3.5% of the total harvest in 1998, rising to 7.5% within two years. [Assoc Press]
     .
     WTO Shrimp Dispute.  On Sept. 24, 1997, the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute panel on U.S. shrimp import sanctions announced that it would not issue its ruling until late March 1998 (rather than October 1997) to allow additional time to seek scientific guidance and information needed to decide the case. [Dow Jones News]
     .

Petroleum Exploration and Corals.  On Sept. 23-24, 1997, Greenpeace argued at a British High Court hearing that the potential damage to rare cold water coral (Lophelia pertusa) communities west of the Shetland Islands and in the Rockall Trough is sufficient to suspend oil exploration licenses for these areas and is contrary to the European Habitats Directive.  If successful in this hearing, a full judicial review of the case will convene in November 1997. [Reuters]
     .
     Summer Flounder Lawsuit.  On Sept. 22, 1997, Federal Judge Robert Doumar held a 4-hour hearing and declined to rule, without a trial, on a complaint by NC commercial fishermen that NMFS's summer flounder quotas are unfair and did not account for the economic impact on fishing communities.  On Sept. 29, 1997, Judge Doumar began a trial on this lawsuit; Judge Doumar ordered the U.S. Dept. of Commerce to conduct a study of the economic impact of flounder quotas on small businesses. [Assoc Press]
     .
     Coral Reefs and Carbon Dioxide.  On Sept. 22, 1997, Japan's New Energy and Industrial Development Organization released the results of a 7-year study of coral reefs, concluding that, contrary to conventional wisdom, coral reefs release more carbon dioxide than they absorb. [Dow Jones News]
     .
     NPFMC Meetings.  On Sept. 22, 1997, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC) began meetings in Seattle, WA, to consider whether to discuss possible changes in the allocation sharing of Bering Sea pollock between onshore (35%) and offshore (65%) processors.  On Sept. 28, 1997, the NPFMC voted to review how Bering Sea pollock is allocated; the Council's study of pollock allocation is expected to be completed by June 1998.  In addition, the NPFMC adopted recommended harvest guidelines for southcentral and southeast AK halibut charter fleets, limiting their harvest to not more than 125% of that taken in 1995. [Assoc Press]
     .
     ICCAT Advisory Committee Regional Public Meetings.  Between Sept. 10 and Oct. 3, 1997, the Advisory Committee to the U.S. Section to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) held a series of 6 regional public meetings along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to discuss relevant international and domestic issues and receive public comment. [Federal Register]      .

NetPets® Main Page

contact information Legislation

The Fish Center